Firebirds Guest Blog for April 2017
'Drafting Gems for a Rust Belt Run'
A Special Shibe Star Scoop
by ‘Hammer the Homer’ aka the Shibe Star Scribe
The Philadelphia Firebirds have slowly, but surely, assembled a core of players to make a run for the Rust Belt Division Crown in 2006.
Firebirds Management entered the 2005 Season Draft with the distinction of not having made a trade the past two seasons!
But for some unknown reason, the Firebirds traded their first four 2005 Draft Picks: netting Slugger Barry Bonds, Frank Catalanotto, a Second Round and a Third Round 2006 Draft Pick.
Philly Management also dealt Jam Starting Pitcher John Patterson, slated as the Ace of the 2005 Firebirds Rotation, for another 2006 Second Round Pick and SP Runelvys Hernandez, after entering the 2005 Draft with gaping holes at SS and in the Starting Rotation.
Not picking until Round Five (2 picks), the Firebirds snatched both Willie Bloomquist and Yuniesky Betancourt (45%) to fill their needs at SS in 2005 and 2006.
With an eye on 2006 and only being allowed to retain 18 Keepers, the Firebirds dealt away a Bull Pen Arm for a 2006 Round 9 Pick, plus adding 2006 Round 6 and Round 12 Picks before the day was done!
So now, the Firebirds enter the current MBL 2005 Season with a mish mash of recycled and cast away Starting Rotation pieces, highlighted by Jose Lima, who is making his MBL Farewell Tour as a Firebird.
The New/Old Firebirds Ace gave up 8 runs to the Red Stockings on Opening Day at the Great American Ballpark: pitching a mere 4.1 innings, before leaving the mound with a 6-day injury!
Although the Firebirds have a total of 49 Spot Starts available on their entire Pitching Roster, the Firebirds Manager must make wiser decisions to prevent the Firebirds from spending those Precious Spot Starts needlessly; especially with F Durability SP Kevin Brown (slotted as #4 in the Firebirds Rotation) having been drafted to play in his final MBL Season as a Firebird.
Speaking of F Durability Players, the Firebirds have full time 2b Juan Castillo and the aforementioned Barry Bonds manning LF, as Miguel Cabrera has graciously moved to 3b this season.
MBL Fans still remember the remarkable full season slugging performance by F Durability Mark McGwire during the MBL Inaugural 2000 Season: when he led the MBL with 79 Homers!
Firebirds Management can only hope to have Bonds and Castillo survive the 2005 Season!
Last season, the Firebirds F Durability 2b Fernando Vina managed to log 125 games (would have been possibly more had the Firebirds not been on Auto for several weeks).
Therefore, the Firebirds Management is hoping for even better results from their F Durability Players over the course of this 2005 Season!
If the Firebirds manage to slug it out against their opponents, they may be able to stay in the Rust Belt Race; but Save Opportunities for either Izzy or ‘Trevor Time’ Hoffman may be hard to come by over the course of the 2005 MBL Season!
One need only take a long look at the Firebirds assortment of Long Relievers on the Active Roster and in the Minors: to draw the same conclusion!
Looks to me like a race in the opposite direction to the Rust Belt Cellar: between the Firebirds and the Red Stockings!
Looking ahead to 2006, the Firebirds will showcase a Clutch Hitting Quartet of Juan Rivera, Miguel Cabrera, Barry Bonds and Ivan Rodriguez.
They will have some Added Punch from previously drafted Catchers, Gerald Laird and Mike Redmond, who are severely limited with At Bats in 2005.
Hence, the necessity for drafting Catcher Mike Mahoney with their 2005 Round 14.20 Draft Pick to provide a warm body behind the plate: in case of injury or depleted At Bats by Laird and Redmond.
So, again looking ahead to the MBL 2006 Season, the Firebirds have already anointed their 18 Keepers:
Drafted in 2004: Marlon Anderson: a Key Bench Player with limited At Bats.
Drafted in 2005: Yuniesky Betancourt: starting SS and Leadoff Hitter.
Drafted in 2005: Willie Bloomquist: another Key Bench Player.
Trade in 2005: Barry Bonds: a Clutch Cleanup Hitter manning LF.
Drafted in 2003: Miguel Cabrera: a Clutch 3b Batting Third in the Lineup.
Drafted in 2004: Jose Castillo: starting at 2b with a -5 Arm.
Trade in 2005: Frank Catalanotto: another Key Bench Player.
Drafted in 2004: Gerald Laird: a Backup Catcher with a Mean Bat.
Drafted in 2003: Wily Mo Pena: another season in CF with a Better Swing.
Drafted in 2003: Mike Redmond: a Third Catcher who is Too Useful to Languish in the Minors.
Drafted in 2002: Juan Rivera: a Clutch Hitter in the #2 Hole with a -2 RF Arm.
Trade in 2002: Ivan Rodriguez: a Clutch Starting Catcher who will Bat Behind Bonds.
Drafted in 2002: Ty Wigginton: who finally becomes a Starter at 1b with some Defense and Pop.
Drafted in 2004: Joaquin Benoit: strictly a Long Reliever who is Vital to the Firebirds Bull Pen.
Drafted in 2004: Trevor Hoffman: a Jam/On/Off RP who may supplant Izzy as the Closer in 2006.
Trade in 2003: Jason Isringhausen: a Jam RP who can still Close or serve as a Set Up Man.
Drafted in 2003: Justin Speir: a Reliable Short Bull Pen Arm who made the cut.
Trade in 2002: Carlos Pena: who is Not Carded in 2006, but is Clutch with A Power in 2007.
As you can see, the Firebirds will once again rely on the MBL 2006 Draft to glean Suitable Arms for their Starting Rotation, as well as the Bull Pen; plus locating a couple more Role Players to be able to make a Serious Run at the Rust Belt Division Crown during the 2006 Season!
Looks like the Firebirds will be Standing Pat with No Trade Activity in Sight: from Now until the Trade Deadline!
However, if a Contender comes calling for the services of 1b Tino Martinez and his Left-Pull Power Bat in his Final Year as a Player in the MBL: the Firebirds Front Office might just Gamble on Trading Tino for a Suitable 2006 Draft Pick and a Warm Body!
After all, the Firebirds are currently a mere .500 Ball Club, as a result of splitting the first two games against their Division Rival Red Stockings: with No Guarantee of a Winning Record over the course of the MBL 2005 Season!
As always, the Firebirds are Expected to Be Entertaining!
Hence, the Record Amount of Season Tickets Sales in Anticipation of the 2006 Season!
May the Firebirds gain some Valuable Experience over the course of the 2005 Season that the Front Office (as well as the Manager) in Philly can Draw Upon to Serve the Firebirds with Great Benefits: during the MBL 2006 Season Draft Process!
That is My Humble Prayer!
Meanwhile, the Rust Belt Crown in 2005 currently Shapes Up to Be a Hard Fought Battle Between the Buckeyes and the Rock N Rollers!
Firebirds Nation Must Wait Yet Another Season!
Hope to See You All at Shibe Park for the Home Opener against the Division Rival Rock N Rollers!
Firebirds Nation will once again be entertained by the numerous antics of the Philly Firebirds Team Mascot ‘Firebird’ and the Shibe Park Opening Day First Pitch will be Hurled Once Again by None Other than ‘Big Bird’ from Sesame Street Fame!
See You at Shibe Park Firebirds Nation!
--- ‘Hammer the Homer’ aka the Shibe Star Scribe
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